Are You A Facebook Addict?

Millions of people around the world would admit that they are regular users of Facebook. It’s a great social media tool for connecting with friends, both past and present, and most a lot of people use it as their prime method of communication, posting invites and messages to friends rather than using their mobile phones. But when does a fun past time become an addiction?

Take a quick look at our checklist to find out how likely you’d be to go into major withdrawals if they pulled the Facebook plug!

1. You check for updates on the news feed before you even get out of bed.
2. You check for updates every time you see your phone.
3. No outing is complete without your posting a ‘check-in’ when you arrive at a venue.
4. You feel the need to update your status while at a venue to let all your facebook friends know  a) who you’re at the venue with, and b) that you’re having a great time/impressed with the food etc.
5. You’re catching up with your friends much more on facebook than in person.
6. You check for updates on the news feed so frequently that there have been no new stories – so you read the old stories again!
7. You Facebook every time you have a success in the kitchen- with photos (of course!).
8. Facebook has such an extensive album of photos and status updates of your life that it would be possible for a stranger to write your complete biography!
9. You are checking Facebook while someone is holding a conversation with you; both conversations in person and over the phone.
10. When you make a status update, you then proceed to check for ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ like an obsessed crazy person for the next 24 hours, and feel a sense of rejection and disappointment if you don’t get a good response.

So, how did you go? Take a look back at the checklist and if you would answer yes to at least half of these questions (or more!),  I’m afraid we’ve got bad news for you…

Facebook Addiction Remedy.

Okay, so you’ve taken the big step of admitting you have a problem. Luckily, there are some really easy steps you can take to walk away from your facebook addiction.

• Log out of Facebook- and don’t just get out of the app either. Actually log out! That way it’s not as quick and easy to ‘check-in’ when you get the urge.
• Put your phone down. Be careful not to exchange a facebook addiction with one to another social media app.
• Interact with the world. Make a coffee date, play with your kids, go for a run – the choice is yours.

Are you addicted to Facebook? Or any other social media? How do you feel it affects your day?

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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